Manager Nigel Pearson is still convinced Alex Scott will be a Bristol City player next season despite reports that Premier League outfit West Ham United have entered talks this month.
Wishful thinking, perhaps?
It’s probably safe to say that Pearson’s iron-clad confidence will not necessarily be shared by everyone of a Bristol City persuasion, especially after The Standard reported that West Ham United had opened talks with Alex Scott’s camp around a week ago.
Scott’s £25 million asking price looks likely to keep Wolves out of the conversation (The Telegraph). West Ham, however, could soon have a wad of cash the size of the River Thames burning a hole in David Moyes’ back pocket, with Declan Rice set to become the most expensive player in Premier League history if he seals his potential £105 million move to Arsenal.
West Ham enter Alex Scott talks with Bristol City
Nonetheless, Pearson remains confident that he will still see the so-called ‘Guernsey Grealish’ strutting his stuff at Ashton Gate again in 2023/24.
“I expect him to be here, and he’ll be here,” a bullish Pearson tells Bristol Live. “That’s how I approach the situation.
“When you’ve got players who are potentially on clubs’ wishlists, I think that’s a very positive thing for us because we’ve got good players.”
Scott, the Championship’s Young Player of the Year, still has a further two years left on his Robins contract.
The Mail said a few weeks back that West Ham were reluctant to meet Bristol City’s £25 million asking price. And, even if that changes in the event of Rice’s departure, Pearson insists that the South West club will not be bullied into a sale.
“We’re not in a hurry to sell anybody. That’s the bottom line. I think there is always going to be speculation about somebody with his amount of talent, and we know a number of Premier League clubs have been monitoring him,” adds the former Leicester City boss.
“So what?
“No one has yet put a bid in. And in all honesty, if they do, I’m a football manager. That’s up to the powers that be here to make that decision as to whether it’s an acceptable deal or not. Even then I think our owners are very keen for us to try and keep our best players.
“He’s our player, he’s here, and I’m looking forward to him playing for us again this season. Simple as that.”
The post 'He'll be here': Manager convinced £25m star will not join West Ham appeared first on HITC.
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